as in hardcovers
a published work that has a thick paper cover
The store sells both paperbacks and hardcovers.
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Recent Examples of paperbacks
This is not to say that all trade paperbacks are unserious or undeserving of coverage.
—
Literary Hub, 20 Mar. 2026
Between Bosch and Jack Ryan, Prime Video’s strategy of putting airport paperbacks onscreen seems to be working.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Children’s books and mass-market paperbacks will be 25 cents or five for $1; adult hardcover and trade paperback books, comics and DVDs are 50 cents and CDs and LPs are 25 cents.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
For years, mass-market paperbacks have been credited with making books more accessible and affordable.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 23 Feb. 2026
Being able to pass the time reading without dealing with bulky paperbacks is a major improvement.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
The books, neatly shelved in alphabetical order, are available for 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hard cover titles.
—Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
It was also named by Barnes & Noble as one of the best paperbacks of August 2025.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025
The genre’s overreliance on pulpy paperbacks is turning into a problem.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 20 Mar. 2026
Between Bosch and Jack Ryan, Prime Video’s strategy of putting airport paperbacks onscreen seems to be working.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Children’s books and mass-market paperbacks will be 25 cents or five for $1; adult hardcover and trade paperback books, comics and DVDs are 50 cents and CDs and LPs are 25 cents.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
For years, mass-market paperbacks have been credited with making books more accessible and affordable.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 23 Feb. 2026
Being able to pass the time reading without dealing with bulky paperbacks is a major improvement.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
The books, neatly shelved in alphabetical order, are available for 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hard cover titles.
—Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2026
It was also named by Barnes & Noble as one of the best paperbacks of August 2025.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025
The genre’s overreliance on pulpy paperbacks is turning into a problem.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paperbacks
books
Noun
-
No individual could write that many books.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
One law created new oversight, requiring oil companies to open their books and giving regulators more visibility into refinery profits and operations.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paperbacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paperbacks. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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